Vegetable gardens the easy way

Vegetable gardens are the hottest thing this spring.

By following the instructions featured in the April issue of Better Homes and Gardens, in one afternoon you can build a raised bed that will yield bushels of delicious fresh vegetables.

Build a bed: To get started, determine the dimensions of the bed. A size of 4-by-8 feet is convenient because boards come in 8-foot lengths. Buy three, saw one in half, and with a single cut all four pieces are ready. Regardless of the length, beds should be no more than 4 feet wide. This allows you to reach all parts by leaning in from the edge. If desired, stain the boards before assembling. Staining isn’t critical, but it increases the life of the boards and makes the bed more attractive.




Materials:

2 8-foot cedar boards

3 ½-inch deck screws

2-inch deck screws

2-foot wood stakes

Topsoil

Cost: About $50-$60 for wood, hardware, and soil for a 4-by-8- foot bed.

Step-by-step:

1. Fasten corners: Drill pilot holes, then fasten boards with 3½ -inch deck screws.

2. Drive stakes: Use a sledgehammer to drive stakes into the ground along the inside surface of the box. Space stakes every 23 feet.

3. Fasten stakes: Drill pilot holes, then drive 2-inch screws through the stakes, into the boards.

4. Attach trim: (Optional) Cut pieces of scrap wood and attach them to corners for a decorative look.

5. Remove sod: Use a flat spade or a sod cutter to remove lawn grass, if present, from inside the bed. If no sod is present, loosen soil by turning with a shovel or spading fork.

6. Add soil. Fill soil to the top of the boards; it will soon settle an inch or two.

A BOOK FOR THE GARDEN-CHALLENGED

If you can’t even match your clothes, can you have a beautiful garden?

With Tom Fischer’s help, yes.

Fischer, garden writer and editor, has written “Perennial Companions: 100 Dazzling Plant Combinations for Every Season” ($14.95 paperback, Timber Press).

The book simplifies garden design by suggesting plants that not only complement one another in color, form and texture, but also bloom at the same time and have like requirements for sun and moisture. The combinations are categorized by season, so you can choose several to give your garden a succession of interest.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY SOIL

Brooklyn Botanic Garden digs deep into dirt in “Healthy Soils for Sustainable Gardens.”

The guide, edited by Niall Dunne, explains why good soil is essential for good gardens and helps people improve theirs. The first part educates readers on the makeup of soil, the differences among soil types and the problems that can hamper plant growth, but most of the book is dedicated to practical advice for improving and caring for soil.

The handbook contains plenty of guidance on such topics as analyzing soil, composting, fertilizing and mulching, and it helps gardeners deal with problem soils such as those that have become contaminated or compacted.